Ways through the woods are free ways (5)
I believe the answer is:
rides
'ways through the woods' is the definition.
(path for horses)
'free ways' is the wordplay.
'free' becomes 'rid' ('rid' can be a synonym of 'free'**).
'ways' becomes 'es' (east and south - two directions).
'rid'+'es'='RIDES'
'are' is the link.
(Other definitions for rides that I've seen before include "Goes on a horse" , "Travels on something" , "Travels on, horse say" , "Dries out for vehicle journeys" , "Comes through" .)